Georgia Amoore collected an inbound pass from Aisha Sheppard with a little over two seconds left in the first half. The sophomore took two dribbles while she sprinted to mid-court before heaving up a prayer that sank into the bottom of the basket as time expired.
She grinned while raising her right hand in excitement, chest-bumping Elizabeth Kitley before she was greeted by her teammates as they headed into the locker room.
Virginia Tech’s point guard has a knack for making long range threes and everyone on the floor knows it. Just last week, she hoisted a 27-foot shot as the shot clock expired in the Hokies’ blowout win against Radford. Tech was already leading by more than 30 points when she did that, but against Florida State, it was more than just a desperate heave.
It was a momentum-shifting three-pointer that capped off a 10-2 run to end the half on Sunday. As a result, the Hokies (9-3, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) led by eight heading into the break in their 92-75 runaway win over Florida State (6-5, 0-1 ACC).
Led by Kitley’s 34 points (two shy of Brittany Cooks’ program record set in 2008), uber-unselfish play from Amoore (20 points and eight assists) and a bounce-back shooting performance as a team (56.4%), Virginia Tech beat Florida State for the first time since 2014, the team’s first win in Tallahassee since 2006.
By preventing FSU from controlling the glass like Liberty and then-No. 11 Tennessee both did against the Hokies, Virginia Tech — who lost to the Vols and the Flames two weeks ago before recuperating against Radford — opened its conference schedule with a win against a team that began the season with high expectations.
Like Tech, Florida State was ranked in the AP Top 25 at No. 16 in the preseason poll. Its decorated 24th-year head coach Sue Semrau returned to coaching after taking the 2020-21 season to take care of her mother. But after losing four of their last six games, the Seminoles haven’t mirrored their preseason presumption and fell out of the Top 25 two weeks ago.
Even with FSU’s disappointing start, head coach Kenny Brooks knew that the Seminoles couldn’t be taken lightly. After all, the Hokies were dominated down low in their losses to Tennessee and Liberty, and FSU plays the same style of offense – rarely taking three-pointers and pounding the ball down low.
Florida State had its way in the paint in the first quarter, shooting 11-of-16 by the time the whistle blew. Tech kept up scoring-wise, but trailed its opponent by four. It was then that Brooks made the right adjustments and the Hokies stopped the Seminoles, who only shot 38.6% in the final three quarters.
While FSU slowed down, it was Virginia Tech who sped up. Amoore and Kitley combined to score 18 of the Hokies’ 26 points in the second quarter. The Australian point guard also facilitated the ball well – which Brooks says she’s best at – adding four assists before the halftime horn sounded.
The road map to an FSU win would have had to consist of crashing the boards, racking up second-chance points and keeping VT off the foul line. Led by Kitley’s 13 rebounds – good for her fourth double-double of the season – Virginia Tech prevented the Seminoles from doing anything close to that as it out-rebounded FSU, 33-24.
In recent weeks, Brooks has stressed how crucial free throws can be, especially once conference play started. On Sunday, the Hokies took Brooks’ word and drew 21 fouls, converting 20 of their 25 attempts at the line – though 23 of their attempts came in a more physical second half. Kitley and Amoore attempted more than half of the Hokies’ tries (14).
Sunday marked another win that pointed the Hokies in the right direction – powering through a game that Aisha Sheppard (11 points) didn’t receive her usual volume of shots and fouled out in. The guard-center duo of Kitley and Amoore will have to go a long way if the Hokies live up to their internal goal of an ACC title by the end of the year.
If Kitley was Virginia Tech’s engine on Sunday, Amoore steered the Hokies.
Box Score: Link
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Great win! What’s with the green uni? (Or is that some other color?)
It be GRAY, bad lighting. Hokie Stone Gray.
Good stuff as FSU has been a perennial nemesis for us in every sport.
Glad to see that the Lady Hokies started off conference play with a win. Last couple of years had rough starts in conference.
I like Amoore, saw her at the GMU game a month ago, as a pg she keeps moving, not stop and start like some pgs are. Also, granted you’re giving her lots of credit here, but just an understated player on this team with stars like Kitley and Sheppard. Maybe it’s that “unselfish” thing you mentioned the glue person that makes others look good.
I joined the Amoore band wagon last year when I saw here coming up the court, tripped and got up with a smile and a laugh. I knew she was tough, but noted she was having fun too. I love this team and look forward seeing them in Cassel in February when I have tickets. Sheppard was off on the 3’s but she did have some nice drives to the bucket. In the end I think 4 or 5 were in double figures. Kitley was unstoppable and Amoore had that beautiful 3 at the end of the half shooting it from Melbourne to impress her folks that were there, all the way from down-under. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy.
GO HOKIES!!!
Going to attempt a three-way here: Men’s and Women’s bball and Wrestling sometime in Jan and/or February.
That would be a most excellent experience hitting the trifecta of Hokie sports.